The Wrong Side of Revenge
by ScarsNScalpels
Summary: Maura becomes the target of her father's revenge. It's up to Jane to stop anything from happening to them. Read and review please.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is the first collaborative story by x8xKrazee . Benson. Fanx8x & darkemberdagger. We hope you like it. Please read and review.**

**Disclaimer: We only own the fic. (C) x8xKrazee. Benson. Fanx8x & darkemberdagger.**

**

* * *

**

It was terrible. A complete mess. An utter disaster. Maura's genius mind was having difficulty understanding the horrifying message her work computer was displaying. She read it over and over but still the meaning was evading her.

_Due to popular demand, the size 7 Louboutin boots you would like to purchase are unavailable. We are terribly sorry for the inconvenience. _

Maura had been busier than usual these past weeks. But so had everyone in homicide. There had been autopsies to perform and reports to fill out, and as Chief Medical Examiner she had employees to watch over. She had been working hard, and she was repaid in not being able to purchase the boots she wanted to wear to the charity event that was coming up. The charity event that Jane had actually agreed to accompany her to. Normally, Maura would not have expected Jane to say yes, but the doctor noticed that the detective had become much more accommodating to Maura's needs. They went to lunch at places that had healthier menus. They were going to yoga twice a week. Jane had even agreed to let Maura taker her shopping for a new outfit for the charity event. Maura knew that Jane was doing these things to make Maura happy, and that made the Maura love the detective even more.

_Stop it Maura, don't have those kinds of thoughts. Jane is your friend._ Maura knew she was in love with her best friend. She had been denying it, but logically she knew that when you try to deny something, you are really just acknowledging its existence. So she had faced the fact that Jane Rizzoli had her heart, and wouldn't be giving it back. The most infuriating part was that she had no idea if Jane felt the same way. There were indications that she did: the constant touching, the overly long eye contact, which a lot of the time is initiated by Jane, but it still was not enough to go on. Maura Isles was a woman of science, and she needed proof before she took a chance and told Jane how she really feels. It would either be the best thing to happen to her, or the worst. Her best friend would become her lover, or would push her away.

Her inconclusive evidence is part of the reason Maura was upset that she could not get the boots she wanted. There was only one time before that she had worn boots at work. She wore them with a work appropriate dress of course, but when she walked into the bullpen and Jane first saw her, Maura saw the look in her eyes. It was not one of welcome, or of amusement, but one of hunger. They shared their moments of eye contact, and Jane's eyes traveled downwards. Maura was fairly sure Jane had just given her a once over, and was delighted. Especially when she noticed Jane swallow by the time her eyes reached the boots. Then when Maura went to stand next to Jane and point out something in the autopsy report, she heard Jane's breath hitch and noticed a slight flush in her tan complexion. Barely able to contain a wide smile, she quickly confirmed her lunch plans with Jane and walked back down to the morgue. From that point, Maura knew she would have to wear boots again, preferably someplace that was just her and Jane and where she could wear a sexier dress: one that was low cut and showed a little more leg. Taking one last glance at her computer and scowling, she closed the window and got to work on the awaiting autopsy report. Maura knew that she and Jane were meant to be together. She just couldn't wait until Jane knew it too.

Jane loved Maura Isles. She really did. She had been attracted to the ME since she first saw her, but when they took the time to get to know each other, Jane knew that the feelings she had for Maura were more than friendly. Maura was, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman Jane had ever seen. She was generous, kind, had a big heart, and had managed to keep a sense of innocence in their dark careers that demanded they lose it. And Maura's intelligence was a topic Jane did not even know where to start on. She was a genius, literally.

Maura was an angel that spent her time with unworthy humans. Jane didn't know when she had become this sappy, lovesick puppy that would do anything for Maura even before she asked, but she had. And it was working against the Boston native, tough as hell badass detective image she had worked hard for. She had never been to a salad bar in her life, but had gone there more times than she could remember since it became on of Maura's favorite lunchtime places. She hated yoga yet she was in classes twice a week, avoiding all contact with Jorge and trying to keep Brock away from Maura. That's one of the reasons she tried to never miss a yoga class. And then the unthinkable happened. She agreed to go to another Puke event, _and _she let Maura buy her clothes. If Maura didn't known Jane was in love with her before, she should definitely know it now.

Jane knows that Maura has her wrapped around her perfectly manicured finger, even if Maura doesn't. Which is why no matter how badly Jane does not want to do something Maura suggests, all it takes for her to do it is one look. One look from Maura that gets into Jane's soul and leaves an everlasting impression. One look that says "I'll be so happy if you do this" and Jane has already started doing it. Because Jane would do anything to make Maura happy. Anything to see that smile that Maura only gives to Jane. Anything to let Maura know how much she means to her. Because Maura means everything to the grumpy homicide detective. There is not a thing Jane wouldn't do if it kept Maura safe. Nothing that could stop her from protecting Maura.

_All I want_, Jane thought on her way down to the morgue for a late lunch, _is to keep my Maura happy and safe. If I can do that, then maybe it won't hurt so much not to be with her._

"You ready for lunch?" Jane asked upon walking into the morgue. Maura looked up from her computer, and smiled that special smile reserved for Jane.

"Of course. Let me just-." Maura was cut off as Jane's phone rang with Frost's ring tone. Her heart dropped as Jane sighed in annoyance.

"Dammit. Just when we-." Jane was interrupted by Maura's work ring tone. They answered their phones, and moments later hung up. Jane looked at Maura and smiled. "My car or yours?"

Jane was looking around the crime scene when she suddenly heard Maura gasp. She rushed over to her and squatted down beside her. "Maura, what is it?" asked Jane, concerned.

"I... I know this man, Jane," she whispered, her voice was very shaky. It was like she was afraid of this murdered man.

"Where do you know him, Maura?" Jane looked over the man again; she had never seen him before. "Maura?" she asked again when Maura didn't response. She noticed that Maura's hands were shaking as she tried to continue her job.

Maura took a few slow deep breaths before speaking softly. "I've noticed him so many times in the last few weeks. I could swear that he was following me."

Hearing that, Jane was fuming. "What?" she screeched. "Why the Hell didn't you tell me, Maura? He could have hurt you!" she yelled at her friend. She had to admit that she was more worried then angry at Maura. She just wished that Maura had told her instead of ignoring the matter.

Maura suddenly took up and glared at Jane. "I can't tell you everything, Jane. You are not my babysitter. I can take care of myself. He didn't hurt me... Although-"

"Although what?" Jane badgered her. She wanted all the details and she wasn't going to let it go anytime soon.

"Jane, please." begged Maura. She couldn't handle her best friend doing this to her. She did not need this right now and it was not appropriate here. Jane took a few deep breaths and turned around, walking away before she did something else she would regret. "Okay, take him to the morgue," Maura told her assistants before taking a deep breath then rushing to look for Jane.

"You looking for Rizzoli, Doc?" a familiar deep voice stopped her.

She turned around to find Vince Korsak, Jane's ex partner. Nodding, she answered, "Yeah, where did she go?"

"She got a phone call and headed back to the station. Why?" he asked, "What's wrong?"

Maura sighed, "Nothing. Is there a uniformed officer that could give me a lift back? Jane drove me here."

"Sure." Korsak, replied and looked for a uniformed officer to take her back. He found Frankie in the living room of the house. "Frankie, could you take the doc back to the station?" he asked.

"Yes, sir, Detective Korsak," Jane's little brother, Officer Frank Rizzoli Junior, replied.

When Maura walked into the Homicide Bullpen back at the police precinct, she found Jane sitting at her desk, working on the computer. She could just about the feel the heat of anger running off of the detective. Jane Rizzoli was fuming, and Maura doubted that it still had something to do with her hiding the fact that she was being stalked. Maura could bet her week's pay check that something else had happened in the short amount of time that Jane had left the crime scene. Something to make her probably the worst person to talk to right now. But Maura wasn't going to just walk away. She wasn't scared of Jane Rizzoli: she knew the real Jane Angela Rizzoli. The one that was rarely seen in public. The kind, caring, quiet side of her. The gentle Jane Rizzoli.

Maura approached Jane curiously despite not being afraid of her, she just didn't want to startle her or upset her more. "Jane?" she called softly.

Hearing her name called, Jane stopped her furious typing in an instant and turned to face her best friend. "Yes, Maura?"

"Come down to the morgue with me, please?" she asked. She hoped that Jane would come but she really didn't think that she would.

"Is there a reason for me to?" asked Jane, nonchalantly. She was feeling very anti-social at that particular moment.

Maura pushed some stray hair back behind her ear and sat on the chair beside Jane's desk. "I need... I need to talk to you, Jane," she whispered, rubbing her hands together nervously.

"About what?" Jane asked, coolly. "You didn't want to tell me anything before... What if that man had hurt you, Maura?" she hissed, trying to keep quiet so that people didn't over hear their conversation.

"And I'm sorry about that," apologized Maura. "Please, could we talk?" she asked again, finally looking into Jane's eyes.

Leaning her head back, Jane groaned. "Please, could we talk about this later?" she retorted.

"Jane, why were you called back here? Why are you sitting at your desk?" Maura changed the subject.

"I'm being ordered to speak to the shrink before going back into the field," Jane whispered her reply.

"Why? Do you want to talk about it down in the morgue?" Maura asked, standing up. She looked around the room. Finding no-one around, she reached out for Jane to take her hand.

Jane furrowed her brow, wondering if she should or shouldn't take the offered hand. Finally she sighed and took it, letting Maura help her up.

"Come on, honey, let's talk," Maura said as they headed to the elevator, to go down to the morgue to chat privately.

They had a lot of talking to do.

As soon as they reached the morgue, Jane wasted no time asking Maura her question. "Why didn't you tell me that you were being followed?" Maura was slightly taken aback at her suddenness, but answered anyways.

"Well, I didn't know for sure that I was being followed. It could have just been several chance encounters that-" when she saw Jane rolling her eyes, she moved on. "I didn't want to tell you I was being followed in case I actually wasn't being followed. It would start a needless investigation and would waste everyone's time."

"Maura," Jane said in a frustrated tone, "if you have been seeing the same man over and over again, how could you think that's a fluke? And who the hell cares if it wastes anyone's time? I don't." Off Maura's look at her inconclusive evidence, Jane changed tactics. "Fine. Why didn't you tell me that you _might_ be being followed?"

"I-I didn't want to worry you unnecessarily." Maura couldn't tell her the real reason, so she went with part of it since she lacked the ability to lie, unfortunately.

Jane didn't seem pleased with her answer. "That's it? That's why you risked your life?" Jane was getting angry again. "To save me some unnecessary worrying? For peace of mind? I worry about you anyways, Maura." _And you're always on my mind _"Telling me that someone had been following you for-." Jane stopped and narrowed her eyes as an obvious question occurred to her, one she should have asked before. "Maura, how long do you think the man that is currently occupying space in your morgue has been following you?" Jane wasn't sure she wanted to hear to the answer, and she was proved right when she heard it.

Maura blushed. "Oh it's... It's difficult to be sure. Perhaps, maybe _three weeks_." Maura mumble the last two words, but Jane heard anyway. She exhaled in anger.

"Three _weeks_? Three whole weeks? Maura, what the hell!" Jane was furious. Three fucking weeks. Three weeks that Maura was being followed and didn't say anything. Three weeks she could have been hurt, with Jane powerless to stop it. Or worse, three weeks during which time the woman she loved more than anything could have been kil- she stopped. Jane was not entertaining that thought for a second. "What if something happened to you? Dammit Maura, why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you almost left me!" Maura yelled. She had seen that Jane was getting angrier the more she thought about it, but Maura had her reasons too. Maura's eyes were filling with tears and she angrily wiped them away.

Jane was shocked. And confused. Normally when she saw tears in Maura's eyes, she would wrap her up in a tight hug, telling her it would be okay and silently vowing to find out who had hurt Maura so she could hurt them. But Maura's answer had totally thrown her off. "What?"

"You almost left me, Jane," Maura acted composed on the outside, but inside she was panicking. She really hadn't meant to yell that. She took a calming breath and began. "You almost died, Jane," The tears were starting again, like they normally did when ever she thought about how close she came to losing the woman she secretly loved. "You took such a _stupid_ risk and almost died because of it. And I realized then that the woman who means so much to me," _Everything to me _"I could have lost you. And then I would have lost the only person in the world that I could go to for anything. I… I was too dependent on you because I always thought you would be there. And when you almost weren't… I thought I needed to start depending on myself again." The tears were back full force and this time Jane did take Maura into her arms, a few tears in her own eyes. She whispered little nothings into Maura's ear as she cried, her face buried in Jane's neck.

"Sweetie, look at me," Maura sniffed then looked up at Jane while she wrapped her arms around the detective's middle. Jane cupped Maura's face in her hands. "I'm not going _anywhere_, okay? I am…I am so sorry about that day, Maura. It was a panic induced move, and something that I swear to you I will never again. Maura," she wiped away the doctor's tears with her thumbs, "you can depend on me. I'm not going anywhere. I'll always be there for you."

Maura nodded. "I know. You are always there for me. And I _know _you won't do anything like that ever again, for any reason whatsoever." She gave Jane a hard look, just daring her to say something. After a moment, her eyes softened. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner. I won't do that again." She gave Jane the smile that only Jane ever got, and was delighted when she smiled in return. Jane laid a kiss upon the doctor's forehead, and only after she pulled back did they realize how tangled together they were. They blushed and took a step back.

"So are you going to tell me why you have to go see the precinct psychologist?" Maura asked.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Jane exhaled a deep breath and thought to herself. _Will I be exposing a weakness if I admit it to her? _

"Jane? Talk to me, honey," Maura gently coaxed her, when she didn't talk.

Trying to compose herself, Jane scrubbed her hands down her face before finally speaking. "Remember the Pearson case?" she asked softly.

Maura nodded sadly. "Of course I do," she whispered back. "What about it?"

"The whole physical abuse by someone you trusted got to me..."

"What? Who hurt you, Jane?" Maura asked, unintentionally, reaching out to cup her arm, in an attempt to comfort her friend. Only Jane didn't want to be comforted. She moved a step away. She started talking in a whisper.

"Please don't interrupt me, Maura. I need to get this out. It hit too close to home for me. It really got to me," explained Jane, rubbing her hands together in nervousness. She still felt as if she was divulging weakness in front of the medical examiner.

Maura was shocked. "Why has this come up months later, Jane? I don't understand. Shouldn't you have seen the department psychologist four months ago? When the case happened, not months after?"

"Cavanaugh thought I was okay, until Frost opened his big mouth. Now I have to be cleared by the shrink before I can go back into the field." she hissed in anger. She was furious. Jane Angela Rizzoli was a Police Detective to work out in the field, working on cases and solving crimes. She was not going to do ass duty behind a desk.

"Do you think the psychologist will clear you?" Maura asked, curiously.

Jane looked at her friend in shock. "What are you trying to imply? You think I need to see the shrink? You think I haven't been doing my job properly?" she snapped in shock and hurt.

"What? No, of course not, Jane. You misunderstood what I said. That was not what I meant what so ever. I was just asking what you personally think. How you feel," Maura explained. She had not meant to upset Jane. She really was just wondering what Jane was thinking.

In response, Jane took a few slow deep breaths. "Sorry for being a jerk. I think I will be cleared 'cause I got over it years ago. It was hurtful and unpleasant during the case I'd admit but I'm fine and Frost should have minded his own business."

Suddenly the clear glass door opened and a man cleared their throat. Both of the women stopped and turned to see Korsak. A sympathetic expression on his face as he looked at Jane. If Korsak was still her partner, Jane knew for a fact that Korsak wouldn't have done that to her. He wouldn't have gone behind her back. Wouldn't have betrayed her like that.

"Rizzoli," Korsak spoke softly. "Cavanaugh said that the psychologist is here to see you. She is waiting for you in interview room one." he informed her.

Jane nodded. "Thanks, Korsak," she replied and turned back to Maura as he walked out, giving them privacy again. "I'll talk to you later. Meet you at the Dirty Robber after work?" she asked.

"I'll be there," assured Maura. She smiled and walked Jane walk out, headed up to the dreadful meeting with the psychologist.

Maura had noticed Jane had been a little off lately but hadn't said anything. She just hoped for everyone's sake that Jane was cleared because if she wasn't and put on desk duty, Maura knew for a fact that all Hell would break loose.

Jane stepped off of the elevator, to see her partner, Barry Frost, standing there, waiting for the elevator.

"Jane?" he spoke softly. He regretted what he did to her and he had been ripped a new one from the other detectives in the Homicide Division.

"Excuse me," replied Jane, coolly, as she barged past him to head toward the interview room. She just wanted to get this done and over with.

Frost sighed and went to step into the elevator, just as Korsak stepped in with him. A smirk on the older man's face. "What?" Frost snapped as he pressed the 'G' button in the elevator.

"Well, I told you not to fuck with Rizzoli." sneered Korsak, as the silver doors of the elevator slid to a close. "But you just did not listen."

"Oh, shut the Hell up, Korsak! I did the right thing and you know it!" Frost snapped back.

Korsak fixed his suit jacket, shaking his head in disagreement. "No, actually you did not. Rizzoli is much stronger than you think. She could have handled it and if, by any chance, she couldn't, she would have done something about it." He told the younger detective firmly. "Trust me, I've known Jane for years. You, on the other hand, barely know her. You should have just left it alone. And let her do her job." The elevator dinged and the heavy doors slid open. "If Rizzoli is put on desk duty, trust me, Frost, there will be Hell to pay." promised Korsak as he stepped out.

"Is that a threat?" Frost asked, gulping. He didn't quite know if it was in fear or anger.

"No, Frost. It's not a threat. It's a promise because I know it will happen." Korsak replied and walked out into the cold and busy street. Walking out of the building himself, Frost held his head down in shame. What had he done? Why the Hell did he go against Jane Rizzoli, his own partner? The partner, who had saved his ass, several times and they had only been partners for a year. Why the Hell did he go behind her back and rat her out? He sighed and headed out to go get a coffee, and to think about how he could possibly fix this.

Stopping outside interrogation room one, Jane took a deep breath. _Come on, Jane. It's been twenty years. You are over it. Steven, Hoyt and Marino are in your past and you've gotten over them. _Technically, Hoyt was still alive and vowing to kill her, but she had a feeling that if she wanted to get cleared today, she better not mention it. Taking another deep breath, she knocked on the door.

"Come in." was the response she got. She sighed, recognizing the voice. It was the same psychologist she saw after Hoyt and Marino. She walked in.

"Hello, Jane. How are you?" Dr. Michael Baker greeted her. He was a man is his early fifties, with his brown hair slowly transforming to gray.

"Well, no offense doctor, but since we are meeting again it should be obvious how I am." Jane quipped. She never liked talking about her feelings, and there were only two people she ever would. One was this guy, not by her choice though, and the other one was, naturally, Maura. She had to talk to this guy; otherwise she would never get back to work. And she normally did go to Maura when something was bothering her. But after Marino, Jane got the feeling that Maura was hovering around her, waiting for her to breakdown so she would be there. And even though she preferred Maura babying her than her mother, she didn't want Maura to think of her as weak. That's why she never told her what was bothering her.

Dr. Baker laughed. "Yes, well I suppose you're right. Have a seat." He gestured to the chair across from him, and Jane sat down. "So would you like to tell me why we are here?"

'They didn't tell you?" asked Jane.

"They did. But I want you to tell me."

Jane sighed. "I'm only here because of the Pearson case. We found a kid, murdered in the park." She paused. Dead adults were one thing, but a dead kid? That was purely senseless. "When Maura was doing the autopsy, she found bruises on the kid. Some old, some new. We concluded child abuse."

"If memory serves, Maura is the Medical Examiner?" Dr. Baker asked.

"Yeah, she is." Jane smiled. Dr. Baker noticed, and made a small note.

"How did this case affect you, Jane?"

She sighed. "Well it affected all of us. None of us likes kids being the homicide victims. Especially Maura. But I… I guess I related to the kid. I knew what he went through before he…well, before."

_"Sweeties! We're going now. You're cousin Steven is here!" Angela Rizzoli said to her three young children. A twelve year old Tommy and a seven year old Frankie came running down the stairs. They both greeted him happily: they loved when he babysat because he let them do whatever they wanted. But a ten year old Jane stood by the stairs. She hated him, and never liked it when Mommy or Daddy went out. Steven would always hurt her whenever he babysat them, and she couldn't tell anyone because then he would hurt Tommy or Frankie. "Janie, get over here and greet your cousin!" Angela lightly scolded. Jane moved closer, knowing that if she didn't greet him, things would only be worse. _

_ "Hi." Was the only thing she said to him._

_ "Oh Janie, how's my girl doing?" Steven asked, opening his arms indicating he wanted a hug. When she didn't move, he said "What, no hug for your cousin?" The words were joking and the smile was friendly, but only she saw the warning in his eyes. She moved towards him and he gave her a big hug. She winced as he pressed against the fading bruises from his last visit. Punishment from not greeting him sooner. _

_ "Okay, kids. We're going to go now but we shouldn't be gone for a long time. In the meantime, listen to your cousin. It's nice of him to want to spend so much time with you kids." Frank said. Steven bade them goodbye and then turned to the three kids._

_ "Okay, how about you guys go see what's on TV?" Tommy and Frankie smiled and went running to the family room. Jane went after him when she heard "Not yet, Janie. We have to catch up, don't we?" She prayed Ma and Pop would be home soon._

"When did it stop?" Dr. Baker asked.

"It only lasted a couple of months. Maybe four. One day, the five of us went swimming and Ma had bought me a new bathing suit that covered a little less than the old one. She saw a few bruises and demanded to know what happened. I started crying, saying that I couldn't tell her or Tommy and Frankie would be hurt too. While Pop and the boys were in the pool, she took me to the side and hugged me, saying that nothing would happen to Tommy or Frankie. So I told her what had been happening whenever Steven came over to watch us. Ma was hysterical, and we went back home. She told the boys to go to their rooms and told Pop what I told her. I've never seen him so furious." She shook her head, clearing herself of the memories from so long ago. "Look, they took me to a doctor and I dealt with it then. This is unnecessary. I'm fine."

At the end of the appointment, she walked out with a signed note to take to Cavanaugh, saying she was cleared.

Jane was walking back into the bullpen when she saw Maura ahead of her, walking in. She had a beige manila folder in her hand. Knowing that something was up, she stayed behind Maura, making sure that she didn't know that she was there. She had to find out what that folder contained. She walked into the room just after Maura and found her talking to Korsak, both too preoccupied to know that she had just stepped in and headed over to her desk.

"I have the whole medical file on what happened to Jane as a child. What about you?" Maura asked, placing the folder down on Vince's desk, in front of him. "Did you find anything on the criminal side?"

Jane just sat at her desk, listening, in anger. Just waiting for them to notice her. The anger was building up so rapidly inside of her that her hands were shaking and her teeth were on the verge of grinding. How could they do this to her?

Clearing his throat, Vince opened up a file on his computer. He sighed and said, "Yeah, even pictures are on here. What Jane's cousin Steven did to her, was so... disgusting and infuriating."

Maura gasped when she came face to face with photos of ten year old Jane Rizzoli. The cuts, bruises and burns on her little body made Maura wince. "Oh, my goodness. She went through so much. No wonder she's so stubborn and private now. She has learned not to show any weakness." She sighed and turned to Jane's desk, not expecting her to be there. She jumped in surprise. "J... Jane!" She could see the fury in her best friend's eyes. Also the hurt.

Seeing her best friend, who had just betrayed her, move to walk up to her, Jane practically jolted up out of her chair. "Do. Not. Come. Near me right now!" She shook her head as she grabbed her purse and keys out of her desk drawer before backing away from Maura and Vince, who had now gotten up himself. "You..." she started but was caught off guard by a painful sob escaping her throat. She took a deep breath and continued, "You betrayed me, Maura. I thought you were my best friend. And you, Korsak, don't think you're innocent here." She sniffled and ran out of the bullpen. She had to get out of there before she completely lost it in front of them.

Maura groaned. She had not meant to upset Jane but she had been desperate to know what had happened to her best friend when she was kid. She just hoped that Jane would be able to forgive her after this. "Should I go after her?" asked Maura. More asking herself then Korsak.

With a sigh, Vince sat back at his desk and closed out of the file on the Rizzolis. He knew from the start that he shouldn't have gotten involved with this and now he was paying for his mistake. "No, leave her, Maura. Just for now. Let her get her feelings out. She won't do that with an audience and you know that. Give her a few hours and maybe give her a call. If she wants you to go over to her apartment, then she'll let you know. If not, she'll hang up on you... Now lets get back to work, Doctor Isles." he muttered at the end and went back to his paperwork. Maura exhaled a puff of frustration and headed back down to the morgue.

Jane had just about dashed home because the sooner she got home, the better. Tears were beginning to affect her vision as she drove and it was getting dangerous. Upon entering her home, Jo Friday ran up to her, yapping happily.

"Hi girl," she cooed sadly as she picked up the dog, closing the front door with her. "You won't betray me, will you, Jo?" she asked in a whispered, patting the dog. Jo Friday snuggled into her and yapped as if in agreement. Jane smiled sadly in response and laid down with the dog, cuddled comfortably into her abdomen. She finally let out the long held back tears and cried herself to sleep.

Maura walked into her house a couple hours later and did her usual nightly routine when she stayed at her place, which consisted of feeding Bass, changing into her night wear and cooking and eating dinner. All of this usually took about an hour and half to two hours, depending on what she cooked for dinner.

But this night's routine was cut short. She opened her underwear drawer, which was normally neatly folded and arranged, to find it had been ransacked. Someone had been in her underwear drawer, which meant someone had been in her house sometime during the day whilst she was at work. She was starting to freak out. Maura gulped and rushed back to Bass. After making sure that he was okay, she looked around to see if anything else had been disturbed. It hadn't, so she headed back into her bedroom after putting on a pair of gloves. She moved a pair of panties and found an envelope with _'Dr Maura Isles'_ written in perfect cursive writing. She sighed and picked it up, opening it up. Inside, she found a letter and a stack of photographs. Photos of her, Jane and ones with the both of them together, just doing day to day things. Someone was stalking them, during work. But by the looks of it, they were only stalking her at night because there were no photographs of Jane outside her building or from inside her apartment taken through the window.

Maura looked down to see her hands were shaking, violently. She couldn't even work up the courage to open the letter to see what it said. She wanted desperately to call Jane but she knew that Jane was angry with her. But she had to call Jane. She placed the envelope down on the top of the chest of drawers and pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. She took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly before pressing the speed dial number for Jane.

Jane woke to the sound of her cell phone ringing and vibrating on the coffee table. It was Maura's ring tone. Sitting up, she groaned, thinking of whether she should or shouldn't answer. Finally she picked it up and answered it. "What, Maura?... Hold on! What? I'm on my way, sweetie! Yes, I promise! I'm on my way." She hung up and practically ran out the door. Her best friend and secret love desperately needed her, so she was going to put her hurt and anger aside for the moment.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

In her rush to get to Maura, Jane forgot to ask her a very important question. "Fuck!" She said aloud in her car, as she drove way over the speed limit. Dialing her first speed dial, it only rang once before Maura picked up.

"Jane?" Maura sounded scared, and Jane didn't like it one bit.

"Honey, are you sure you are alone in the house?" Jane asked, praying the answer was yes. She heard Maura's breath hitch and cursed.

"No, but I can check-"

"No, don't!" Jane practically yelled. "Maura, promise me you won't search around your house! Please." She didn't want Maura to search her house, let alone find the pervert that left her something in her underwear drawer. "Maura, lock yourself in your bathroom. I'll let myself in with my key." Maura nodded, momentarily forgetting that she was on the phone. Jane's voice was calming her, and knowing that Jane was still rushing to get to her even though she was mad at her made Maura love her even more. "Maura!" Jane's voice was panicked.

"I'm here. Sorry. Okay, I'll get in the bathroom. Will you stay on the phone with me?" Maura hoped she would say yes.

"Of course, sweetie." Jane was almost at Maura's house. It only took ten minutes for her to reach Maura's neighborhood. During that time, Jane was thankful that Maura was safe and that the sick perv hadn't been waiting for her. What would she have done if that happened? Maura would have never known that Jane was in love with her. Her last words to Maura would have been in anger and not in the reverent tone Maura deserved. Why was she angry at her, anyways? Yes, Maura may have gone behind her back, but Jane knew Maura did it because she cared about her.

Oh god, she would have been the one to most likely find Maura if she were kil- if anything happened to her. After a few unanswered calls, she would have gone straight to Maura's house, banged on the door, and then let herself in when no one answered. And then she would find her sweet, beautiful Maura-.

She had no time to choke back a sob as she quickly pulled into Maura's driveway. She got out of the car quietly and whispered into the phone "Maura, I'm walking up to the door."

"Jane, please be careful!" Maura knew Jane would be reckless when it came to her safety, and she hoped that the person who left the surprise in her drawer wouldn't be waiting. Jane took out her gun and fumbled with the keys. Maura heard the jangling. "I'll let you go." She said, and hung up.

Now with one hand free, she unlocked the door. Slowly, she made her way inside with her gun drawn. Quickly inputting Maura's security code 2718, the first four digits of Euler's number _e_, she made her way through the house, passing Bass. She gave him a once-over, and then made her way up the stairs. She stopped to listen for any movement, and when there was none, she opened the door to Maura's room, got in and gave it a sweep. Satisfied that no one was in the house except for her, Maura, and Bass, she put her gun away. Passing the open panty drawer and what she assumed was the letter and pictures Maura found on her bed, she knocked on the bathroom door.

"Maura, it's me." The door flung open and Maura threw herself into Jane's arms, hugging her tightly."

"Jane, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to betray your trust. I just wanted to know what had happened so that I could be there for you properly. I'm sorry." Maura cried as she snuggled her head in the crook of Jane's neck.

Holding her tightly, Jane calmed her down. "Shh, Maura. It's okay. Don't worry, I forgive you." She placed a soft kiss on the doctor's forehead. "Look at me." Maura looked at Jane with her red eyes, and Jane's heart hurt. She wiped away Maura's tears with her thumb. "Are you okay?" Maura nodded.

"I'm fine. Just a little shaken up." They stayed in each other's arms for a few more seconds before reluctantly pulling away. "The…the items are on the bed." Jane sat on the bed and pulled Maura next to her. With one arm around Maura, she used the other to sort through the pictures. The majority of them were of Maura, of course. Maura at a crime scene, Maura in her car, Maura walking into work, Maura inside her house in her pajamas. There were a few pictures of both of them: at the Dirty Robber, at a crime scene. There was only one of Jane alone, and even then it was when she was walking up to Maura's house. Dammit, if Maura thinks that the "victim" in their latest case was her stalker, then who the hell put the pictures here?

"Maura, is this the first time you've seen these?" Maura nodded.

"Yes, it wasn't in there this morning. I had to change before work." Jane sighed. Something didn't make sense.

"You came to work late this morning, right?" She asked Maura.

"Yes, Bass had a bit of an upset stomach so I wanted to make sure he had at least eaten something before I left." Jane frowned.

"So you were not at work for a long time before I came down and we got called to the crime scene. From your house, the scene is at least fifty minutes away." Maura nodded, following along Jane's thought process. "It doesn't make sense." Maura stopped following.

"What doesn't?" She asked. When Jane didn't answer, Maura grew concerned. "Jane, what's wrong?" Jane turned to her.

"Are you positive that the victim was the man you had been seeing around a lot?"

"Absolutely." Jane sighed, and put her face in her hands.

"There's no way he could get in your house, leave the items, and then get across town in that little of time." Maura looked at Jane in confusion, and then widened her eyes as she realized what she was being told.

"It's not the same person." Jane shook her head.

"No. It can't be. He couldn't have broken into your house, left this, and then gotten to where he was killed in only forty-five minutes. This had to be someone else." Jane did not like this at all. At least when Maura told her she was being stalked, the man was already a corpse. But now, there was a living, breathing being who wanted to hurt Maura. And Jane couldn't take it.

"Wait here. I'm going to search the house. See if there are any clues." Maura watched as Jane left the room, then she turned to letter she had neglected to open. She took it in her hands and unfolded it.

_Dr. Isles,_

_ He was right, you are gorgeous. Perfect skin, long legs, firm breasts that are just begging me to hold them. A body just waiting for my touch. And touch you I shall. I can't wait to meet you in person. To feel you, hear you beg. I want to hear you say my name. I want to see your tears, and know it's because of me. I want your blood to stain my fingers, and to hear your agonizing cries. You are the reason he is dead. And for that, I'll make you wish you were dead, too. _

_ Make no mistake: I know who you are, where you live, where you work, where you eat lunch. I even know your friend. She won't be able to protect you. Anyone who gets in between you and me is as good as dead. The cop won't be able to save you, and neither will your father._

_ We will meet soon. I am very anxious to make good on my promise._

Maura was breathing quickly, the note running through her mind. _He? Who is he? Why does he want me? _Fear gripped her heart. _Jane, he said he'll go after Jane if she stands between us. I can't let that happen. _One part confused her. _And what does Doyle have to do with any of this? _She walked back to the drawer, the note clutched tightly in her hand. When she took a proper look inside, she saw the answer to her question. Hidden underneath a lace panty was an ice pick.

"Jane!" Maura yelled in fear.

"Maura?" cried Jane in fear as well. She jumped everything again and ran back toward Maura's bedroom. "What is it, honey?" she asked concerned. But then she noticed the ice pick in her best friend's hand. Her shaking hand. "Please don't tell me that…that was in your drawer, sweetie." Jane knew but she beyond hoped that it wasn't.

"Okay, I won't." came Maura's standard answer. Despite being scared, she still had her sense of humor, which in turn calmed Jane down. If only, slightly.

"Honey, I really need to call this in now." Jane said, sadly. "I know it's going to be humiliating especially because they're going to see all your panties and everything but you know the drill." she whispered and kissed Maura's cheek. Maura sighed with a slight nod. Yes, she did know the drill and at the moment in time, she hated it. Talk about invasion of privacy.

Nodding back, Jane ran her fingers through her near black tresses before grabbing out her phone and pressing the speed dial number for her partner, Detective Barry Frost. She told him that they needed the Crime Scene Unit to go through the evidence to look for fingerprints and other things to help find who was in Maura's house and planted the evidence. If only, the only witness, Maura's tortoise, Bass, could tell them who he saw.

The Calvary arrived within about twenty minutes and suddenly Maura's house was swarming with police officers.

"Let the humiliation begin." Maura muttered as she let the throng of men and women in blue and black enter through the front door of her house. Detectives Frost and Korsak were at the end of the pack, the only ones which stood out in their different color clothing.

"You doing okay, Doc?" Korsak asked softly, privately, as he and Frost stepped into the doctor's humble abode.

Giving a sad smile, Maura nodded. "I will be once, once you get this pervert off the street." she whispered back.

"Jane won't give up until we do. You know that, Doc. You want a unit at the door for the rest of the night?" said Korsak.

Maura shook her head. "Thanks, Korsak, but Jane already promised to stay with me for the night."

"About Jane... How's she handling what we did?" he asked, looking around to see if Jane was around.

"She's forgiven me, she said. But I don't know if she's hiding something deep down. But she seemed genuine to me." Maura informed the detective.

Korsak sighed. "I hope she forgives me." he muttered.

"I'm sure she does. She says she can understand why. So, yeah, you might want to check still. But I'm sure that she will." she assured him.

"Maur!" Jane called from the bedroom suddenly.

"I'm coming, Jane!" Maura called back and looked at Korsak again. "Excuse me." she said and rushed back upstairs to her bedroom.

The light on her bedroom was off, which only alluded to one thing. They were using the UV light to look for prints, blood and/or semen. And with the way Jane called for her, it meant that they had found something. She took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly before walking to the room. "What did you find, Jane?" she asked sadly.

With a painful sigh, Jane walked over to her best friend and wrapped her arm around her waist. "We found semen, honey... Jackson, please show her." she asked the CSU person.

The young slender, blonde haired, green eyed woman, who looked to be in her late twenties turned the small portable UV light back on and aimed it over the bed. There at the head of the bed, just beneath the pillow and at the foot of the bed, on the very expensive, cream colored silky and frilly comforter were glowing spots. Semen.

Maura couldn't help but gag in shock and disgust. She was used to crime scenes. Immune to them, even. But it was different in her own home. Her own bed. "Oh, God!" she sobbed. "That's disgusting! Who on Earth would do that?"

Feeling for her friend, Jane hugged her tightly, rubbing her back, happy when Maura accepted the embrace. "I don't know, sweetie. But I promise we will find him. He left his fingerprints as well. He either was very careless or just didn't flat out care about leaving stuff to identify them."

"I just don't understand what I've done to piss someone off so much, Jane." murmured Maura, into Jane's neck. Crying softly, she was refusing to let her best friend go and Jane was more than happy to continue to hold her.

"Sweetie, you are staying at my place for the night." said Jane, accepting nothing less.

Maura nodded and slowly she let Jane go. "I'll pack. Could I maybe please have a bit of privacy?"

Smiling sadly, Jane nodded. "Of course, Maura. Come on, everyone out!"

"Rizzoli, we aren't finished yet!" one of the techs complained.

"I don't care, Kingsley. What's Doctor Isles going to do? Her prints are already everywhere, considering this is her own home and she's a medical examiner, she knows what she's doing! So out!" she yelled, defending her best friend. The techs grumbled but did what they were told and headed out of the bedroom.

"Thanks, Jane. You're the best friend anyone could ever ask for. And I'm so so sorry about today." sniffled Maura.

Jane reached up and caressed the doctor's cheek. "You're the best friend anyone could ask for too, sweetie. And I already told you. You are forgiven." She kissed the doctor's cheek and headed out of the room, closing the door behind her, giving Maura privacy as she packed an overnight bag.

As soon as Jane shut the door to Maura's room, her whole demeanor changed. With Maura, she had to be calm and keep a handle on the many emotions that were struggling to be let lose inside of her. Anger because someone had managed to get inside Maura's house. Disgust at what was found on the bed. Embarrassment because everyone was inspecting Maura's personal things. Frustration that Bass was the only witness. But the most prominent feeling she had was fear. Fear that something would happen to Maura: her best friend, her secret love…her soul mate. Fear that she wouldn't be able to protect her. Jane hadn't noticed when she had started pacing in the hallway outside of Maura's room, but she was. It was like this that Frost found her.

"Jane." He said cautiously, still tiptoeing around her since he ratted her out. "Are you alright?" Jane stopped pacing and looked up.

"Oh, I'm perfect, Frost. I'm in a fucking _fantastic _mood considering Maura found an ice pick in her damn house!" Jane yelled at him, and then turned around. She put her head in her hands for a few seconds, and then turned back to him. She sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just worried about Maura. I-" Her voice broke, but she quickly recovered. "I just don't want anything to happen to her."

Frost nodded his head in understanding. "We'll find who did this, Jane. You know none of us will rest until we do." Jane shook her head.

"There just has to be more that we can do." Jane lowered her voice. "No one else should know that Maura is Patrick Doyle's daughter. It should have ended with Rourke. But no, now there's someone else wielding an ice pick!" Jane's voice was starting to rise. "Dammit, Frost! What if she were home when that sick pervert broke in? What then!" Frost went over to her and stopped her from pacing again.

"Jane, I can't tell you what will happen in the future. I can't tell you what would have happened if Dr. Isles was home when this happened. I don't think any of us want to think about that, especially you two. But I can tell you that the BPD won't stop until this guy is found." Jane took several deep breaths that she learned in yoga, not that she would tell Maura of course, and smiled.

"Thanks, Frost. I needed that." Frost nodded.

"Jane, listen. About today-"

"Hey, look. It's over and done with plus I'm cleared to go back to work. Let's just put it behind us." Frost nodded, and went back downstairs. Maura opened the door, a bag in hand.

"I'm ready." Jane looked at the bag. She never thought she would say this, but she did.

"Maura, I don't think you packed enough."

Maura looked confused in that adorable way of hers, and then looked at the bag in her hands. "On the contrary, I believe I packed more than a sufficient amount of clothes for a one night stay." Now it was Jane's turn to look confused.

"One night? Maura nodded. Jane furrowed her eyebrows. "Maura, you do know that you are staying with me until this person is caught, right?"

Maura protested. "But Jane! We have no idea how long that will take!" Jane shook her head.

"It doesn't matter. This guy broke into your house, Maura. He wrote what seemed like a threatening letter, left traces of himself on your _bed_, and he even left an ice pick in your home! If you really think I'm letting you out of my sight for one second, you're mistaken." Could Maura really not see how deeply Jane was in love with her?

Maura, however, was truly touched to see how much Jane cared for her. Seeing the detective act in such a protective way towards her just made Maura love her more. Though, one part of her statement was confusing. "What do you mean by 'seemed like a threatening letter'?"

"I haven't read it yet. Since the moment I saw the ice pick, I haven't been thinking properly." She held her hand out. "Let me read it now." Jane wasn't eager to see what the sick bastard had written to her sweet Maura, but she had to know.

Maura clutched the letter that was in her hand this whole time. Forensics had dusted the letter for prints and clues, but the letter was clean, not its content but its bacteria, and the only prints on it were Maura's. "Jane, I don't think you reading it now is a good idea. I think we should wait until we get to your house."

Jane lowered her hand, confused. "Why?"

"I don't want to upset you in front of others. And I know what is in this letter will upset you." Jane did not like the sound of that at all, but she abided by Maura's wishes.

"Okay. Go pack some more clothes, and then we can leave."

The ride to Jane's apartment was mostly silent, each woman lost in their own thoughts. Jane was secretly checking the rearview mirror, making sure that the patrol car was still following them. After loading Bass into her car with Korsak's help, she had asked him to set up a patrol car that would pass by her house every so often. Jane would be with Maura at all times, so Jane hoped that a 24 hour surveillance unit was unnecessary. Wanting Maura not to know of the arrangement, Jane had stopped talking when Maura came to the car with a much bigger bag.

Parking into her normal spot, Jane threw the luggage bag over her shoulders and she and Maura managed to get Bass upstairs. Settling in the apartment, she was glad to find a happy Jo Friday wagging her tail, complete with a full bowl of food and water, and a note from Marissa saying that she had taken Jo out.

Jane sat on the couch and pulled Maura to her. They sat very close to each other, and the hand that wasn't holding Maura's hand was out in the air.

"Let me see the letter now." Maura hesitated.

"Promise you won't overreact?" Maura asked.

"When have I ever overreacted?" Jane said.

"Is there or is there not a patrol car following us?"

Jane was stunned. "You knew?"

"I'm a doctor, Jane. I'm very observant." Jane shook her head.

"That's not overreacting, that's being cautious." _And protecting someone that means the world to me. _She held her hand out again, and Maura gave her the letter. Moments passed, and Maura knew the reaction she would get to the letter would not be good. Jane looked furious.


End file.
